Growth and responsiveness of human granulocytic leukemic cells in vitro.

Cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) can be grown and their properties analyzed in agar gel cultures. Levels of the glycoprotein regulator colony stimulating factor (CSF) were found to be elevated in 19-66% of plasmas tested from patients with various types of granulocytic leukemia, and the growth of AML and CML cells in vitro was observed to be dependent on, and responsive to, stimulation by CSF-containing material. In both diseases, the leukemic cells appear to be in a responsive state with respect to normal growth regulators, and potentially alterations in regulator levels may therefore be able to achieve sustained arrest of the growth of leukemic populations.